The Scottish Children’s Services Coalitionhttps://www.thescsc.org.uk
The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC) is an alliance of leading independent and third sector service providers. Our members deliver specialist care and education services to children and young people with complex needs. We campaign to improve services for vulnerable children and young people.Mon, 19 Nov 2018 15:41:30 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.8Seona Weir – The true cost of not responding to declining mental health in childrenhttps://www.thescsc.org.uk/seona-weir-the-true-cost-of-not-responding-to-declining-mental-health-in-children/
Tue, 30 Oct 2018 08:54:11 +0000https://www.thescsc.org.uk/?p=10984Writing in The Scotsman, Seona Weir, lead manager Scotland for coalition member, Young Foundations, highlights the long wait faced by many children and young people with mental health problems and the urgent need for greater support.

]]>Considerable news has been reported about the difficulty in young people accessing mental health care. We have all read the alarming headlines around self-harming and increase in young suicides, we all stop aghast and question why this is happening, but what really changes?

The statistics have been gathered and reported, media interest is resurrected and the government respond with promises of more resource, but what really changes?

When mental health deteriorates and is not treated young people are frightened and fearful for themselves. They try and make sense of what is happening, often coming up with the wrong conclusions. They access unhelpful material through social media and find forums of other young desperate people, entering into a dark and unforgiving world.

We tell our children from a young age to ask for help when something is wrong, yet when they turn for help there is often nothing immediate to give them. The GP refers to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), they are placed on a waiting list, if lucky and depending on where you live they will be seen within eighteen weeks. Some incredibly wait for more than a year.

Once through the door of CAMHS another journey begins. The unwell child is expected to communicate innermost feelings and thoughts with a complete stranger. There is no time for relationships to build while behaviours are examined and parenting scrutinised. Families are fraught with concern, resilience long since gone. Families regularly report that they felt they were not listened to. Many have the experience of presenting their child following suicide attempts to be told simply, to take their child home.

The child’s condition declines; life by this point not representing anything they have known or experienced before. The friends they had, have long since gone as they don’t understand them anymore, attendance at school slips, resulting in poor educational attainment. Stigma, discrimination and bullying follows them and isolation sets in.

The impact on the family dynamic is intense, families stressed, relationships broken, some never to be fully repaired and many parents desperately trying to keep their child safe from harm. One father recalls “we tried so hard to get help from CAMHS but no one would listen, we knew something was wrong with our daughter. At age 11 she changed from being a happy, caring little girl to an individual we hardly recognised. CAMHS and social work decided that she was just a “bad teen” or that we were bad parents. Three years on, following a serious suicide attempt; her third attempt, the police intervened and demanded that she be assessed by Psychiatry. Following this she was sectioned under the Mental Health Act, everything changed then, she was diagnosed very quickly with Bi Polar disorder”. This dad goes on to state: “without the intervention of the police, he believes, his daughter would not be alive today.”

The consequences of this inaction can be life- long. As these children recover they have to deal with what has gone before, they have regret, shame and guilt and for those who have been hospitalised evidence of trauma. Missed education and missed opportunities for normal social development and experiences all gone. This is the true cost of not responding to deteriorating mental health in our young population.

If intervention is given early, we can avoid our children becoming increasingly unwell. Stop the erosion of their self-belief, self-esteem and confidence, protect their education, prevent engagement in high risk behaviours and hopefully prevent the need for hospitalisation or residential care.

The current Mental Health Strategy runs for ten years (2017-2027) it is far reaching and ambitious. There has undoubtedly been progress in raising the profile within the Scottish Government, all of this is welcomed.

Meanwhile…on the ground… children’s’ mental health needs are often still being unmet, families still struggle to get the right support from the right discipline within CAMHS. Sadly our young people are still experiencing what could be avoidable deterioration in their mental health. All of this inaction comes at a heavy cost, to the individual, their families, the economy as a whole. We do not need more reviews, we know the right treatments, we know what systems don’t work, and we have overwhelming statistics which clearly evidences the issues.

The children who are struggling today don’t have ten years, their childhood is now, and they don’t get another one. Let us not fail another generation. Let us act now.

Seona Weir is lead manager Scotland for Young Foundations, which is a member of the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition. This article first appeared in The Scotsman on 30th October 2018.

]]>Let’s use this first Care Experienced Week to celebrate all those who are care experiencedhttps://www.thescsc.org.uk/use-this-first-care-experienced-week-to-celebrate-all-those-who-are-care-experienced/
Tue, 23 Oct 2018 07:08:08 +0000https://www.thescsc.org.uk/?p=10972In a letter to the media to mark the first Care Experienced Week (22nd to 28th October), the Scottish Children's Services Coalition calls for all care experienced people to be celebrated, seeking greater support for them and action to tackle the stigma many face.

]]>This week marks the Care Experienced Week (22nd to 28th October), providing a chance through a series of events to celebrate all those who are care experienced.

We cannot underestimate the amazing contribution these amazing people make to our society. Not only the around 15,000 currently in care, but all those who have left care.

The challenges many of them have faced is immense. Only six per cent of those who are care experienced go to university, nearly half will suffer mental health issues. Half of the adult prison population are people who lived in care when they were growing up. Worst of all a young person who has been in care is twenty times more likely to be dead by the time they are 25 than a young person who hasn’t.

Every young person should have an equal opportunity to succeed in life, no matter their circumstances, and we should celebrate the progress that has been made that has allowed many of our young people who grow up in care to do great things in life.

As highlighted there are however still many challenges facing young people in care, and their opportunities are all too often not the same as other young people in Scotland. The care system must and can do better by our most vulnerable children and young people. They need to know they are loved and feel cared for, and we need to create a system that puts love for the children it cares for at its heart. That is why the current independent review of Scotland’s care system is to be greatly welcomed.

So let us celebrate the achievements of not only those who have succeeded, but shed a light on those who struggle, and use the first Care Experienced Week to press for more support for these uniquely vulnerable individuals.

]]>Stephen McGhee – As we mark World Mental Health Day we need a Budget dedicated to tackling this major public health challengehttps://www.thescsc.org.uk/stephen-mcghee-as-we-mark-world-mental-health-day-more-work-needs-to-be-done-to-tackle-this-major-public-health-problem/
Wed, 10 Oct 2018 07:09:13 +0000https://www.thescsc.org.uk/?p=10950Writing in The Herald, Stephen McGhee, Depute Managing Director for coalition member, Spark of Genius, marks World Mental Health Day by calling for greater investment in mental health services in the Scottish Government Budget.

]]>Today (10th October) marks World Mental Health Day. It provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work, and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide.

This year’s theme, set by the World Federation for Mental Health, is young people and mental health in a changing world. It is appropriate for us here in Scotland as this year we mark the ‘Year of Young People’.

The well-documented statistics on mental health problems as they impact children and young people in Scotland are stark and speak for themselves, with more individuals than ever seeking help.

For example, it is estimated that by the time they’re 16, roughly three children in every class will have experienced mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression and self-harm. In addition, half of all adults who are mentally ill experienced the onset of their mental health problems by the age of 14.

Without effective intervention these conditions can clearly have a significant impact on their life chances, affecting not only the individual concerned, but wider society and the economy as a whole.

The increase in the number of those coming forward with mental health problems is of course a welcome sign that the stigma around mental health is reducing. However, this is clearly putting already stretched and under-resourced services under intense pressure.

That is why we need all partners working in the sector, including the Scottish Government, to re-focus on prevention and early mental health intervention, seeking to reduce the burden on costly specialist CAMHS provision.

The recent joint report from the Auditor General and Accounts Commission called for a ‘step change’ in the way the public sector responds to the mental health needs of children and young people. Like ourselves this notes a concern that the current system is geared towards specialist care and responding to crisis, despite the Scottish Government strategy being focused on early intervention and prevention.

As the Scottish Government reveals its Budget for the forthcoming financial year on 12th December, let us make this a ‘Budget for Mental Health’, where we are delivering significant investment in prevention, early intervention and specialist CAMHS.

The cost-advantages of prevention and early intervention when it comes to mental health cannot however be under-estimated. As an example, the cost of five sessions of school-based counselling being equivalent to just one contact with CAMHS. Therefore investing a fraction of the mental health budget on school counselling services helps to keep the individual in school, as well as reducing the burden on stretched and costly CAMHS provision.

Much has clearly been done, but there is still much work to be done to ensure Scotland’s children and young people can get the right care, in the right place, at the right time, and from the right professional.

For that to happen requires the private, public and third sector to work in closer partnership and for there to be significant investment in mental health services. In order to achieve this, let us make the forthcoming Scottish Government Budget a ‘Budget for Mental Health’.

Stephen McGhee is Depute Managing Director of Spark of Genius, which is a member of the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition. This article first appeared in The Herald on 10th October 2018.

]]>Chris Green – To open learning doors for children who need support, greater resourcing is requiredhttps://www.thescsc.org.uk/chris-green-to-open-learning-doors-for-children-who-need-support-greater-resourcing-is-required/
Fri, 21 Sep 2018 13:42:48 +0000https://www.thescsc.org.uk/?p=10945Writing in The Scotsman, Chris Green, headteacher at Spark of Genius' Harbour Point School, a coalition member, highlights the need for greater support for those with additional support needs if they are to realise their full potential.

]]>Have you ever seen the film Sliding Doors? The concept is interesting, the idea that simple everyday choices or experiences can take your life one direction or another. Being identified as having Additional Support Needs (ASN) creates a scenario that, as with Sliding Doors, can play out in a number of ways. Let’s take Bill, our fictitious pupils, who’s recently been diagnosed as having ASN.

Bill has been identified as fitting into one of the 24 categories that are described as reasons for support within Scotland. This process of identification means that Bill, as with all ASN pupils, is entitled to specific supports designed to ensure that all pupils in Scotland have the same opportunities to become successful learners under The Education Act (2004).

But this is where things can go all Sliding Doors on us – what if these supports are simply not available? If we identify pupils as having ASN how can we expect them to have the same academic progress if the support they clearly need is not given? If the Scottish Government identifies these pupils as being ‘unable, without the provision of additional support, to benefit from school education’ how can we expect anything other than challenges when we fail to provide the required support?

Since changes in legislation in 2012 we have seen a significant rise in the number of pupils identified as having ASN needs. Between 2012 and 2017 the number of pupils identified as needing additional support increased by 9%, from 17.6% of the school population to 26.6%. When you factor in population growth, this works out as an increase of 65,457 who require additional support to have the same opportunities as their peers, bringing the total to of ASN pupils to 183,491 in 2017. That’s a lot of Bill’s who are standing on the edge of change, with a diagnosis of ASN providing them with two paths – one with the appropriate levels of support and one without.

It’s clear from the four capacities of The Curriculum for Excellence that we want to provide Bill and the other 183,490 ASN pupils with the same opportunity for successful outcomes as every other pupil in Scotland. Then why is that so many pupils with ASN end up on the path without support?

Logically we would expect that the significant increase in pupils requiring additional support would be mirrored by increased levels of investment in specialist staff. Yet the statistics clearly show a decline in funding for such crucial roles, with a staffing reduction of over 12% in the number a specialist ASN teachers, from 3,850 in 2012 to 3,358. This represents a new low. In 2012 while each ASN teacher was supporting 31 pupils, by 2017 this figure had risen to 55.

Indeed, average spend per pupil by local authorities on additional support for learning (local authority primary, secondary and special schools), has dropped from £4,276 in 2012/13 to £3,548 in 2016/17, amounting to a £728 cut per pupil.

How is Bill going to be able to follow the path to successful outcomes when their simply is not the funding or staffing to provide the support that professionals have identified him as needing to be able to benefit from school education?

While the concept of mainstreaming pupils with ASN is laudable, in light of the current funding trend, it’s difficult to see how it’s sustainable. If schools are unable to provide the required support for pupils with Autism, ADHD or ODD (to name but a few) due to financial constraints then how can pupils, like Bill, ever feel truly included within their classes or indeed their school? Perhaps this goes some way to explaining why the exclusion rates for ASN pupils in 2016 where almost four times higher than non ASN pupils?

Bill, like most pupils with ASN, most likely had a difficult road to the point of being diagnosed, with a number of negative experiences throughout his time within education. For many pupils and indeed their families, the point of diagnosis can be an immense relief, an opportunity for things to change. This is the Sliding Doors moment – where one experience will lead to a successful and positive destination, while the other will could see Bill leaving school with significantly less than his non ASN peers.

The difference between these two paths is simply whether or not we are able to provide the supports ASN pupils are entitled to.

Chris Green is headteacher at Harbour Point School, run by Spark of Genius,which is a member of the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition. This article first appeared in The Scotsman on 22nd September 2018.

]]>It was heartening to see one of her first actions of the new Scottish health secretary, Jeane Freeman, being to recognise as ’completely unacceptable’ the fact that one in five children and young people seeking mental health treatment are having this rejected.

As an organisation that campaigns to improve mental health services, we have previously expressed our concerns over the increased demand on child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and that fact that such a high number of these children and young people who are referred for treatment have this rejected, often with no explanation or with no alternative support provided. This leaves many thousands of vulnerable children and young people in a state of limbo.

An audit commissioned by the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) and NHS Information Services Division was undertaken on behalf of the Scottish Government to review this situation. What is clear from the recently published report arising from thisis that for many of these young people their needs are not viewed as being severe enough to warrant CAMHS, however appropriate alternative support is lacking.

Many children, young people and their families highlighted that they have received a rejection letter within a very short timescale, and feel angry, aggrieved, cheated and let down due to a feeling that no proper assessment process has been undertaken.

More disturbingly, it is appears that some clearly require treatment but this is being rejected, often without any face-to-face meeting with a specialist. In fact, only 31 per cent of those who undertook an online survey got a face-to-face assessment, and the majority were rejected on the basis of a written referral.

It was disturbing to read the harrowing first-hand accounts of the experiences of young people and their families. This includes some believing that they would not be seen unless they were suicidal or at risk of harm, and the impact that failure to get good enough treatment has on mental health, often with the situation for them worsening and then entering a crisis situation. There was evidence also of those who were self-harming, but whose condition was not deemed severe enough to warrant treatment. Situations such as this are wholly unacceptable.

It is pleasing to see the Cabinet Secretary fully accepting the 29 recommendations outlined in the reporton these rejected referrals and create a new CAMHS Taskforce, headed by mental health expert, Dr Dame Denise Coia, backed with £5 million of investment to reshape and improve CAMHS.

One of the key recommendations in the report was the requirement for increased investment in CAMHS and the provision of alternative support services, for those who may not require CAMHS, with mandatory signposting to these. And yet we have seen cuts to these support services over the years. If we are to deliver the support these children and young people need we need greater investment not only in CAMHS, but in such alternative services.

It was heartening to also note the desire for a nationwide provision of schools-based services recognised. Investing a fraction of the mental health budget on school-based counselling services, for example, helps to keep children in school and avoid an unnecessary and often stigmatising mental health diagnoses, as well as reducing the burden on already stretched and costly CAMHS provision.

Issues around mental health represent one of the greatest public health challenges of our time and we urge the new Cabinet Secretary to put mental health at the very heart of the Scottish Government health agenda, providing the high quality mental health support that our children and young people deserve.

Lynn Bell is CEO of Love Learning Scotland, a member of the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition. This article first appeared in The Herald on Thursday 12th July 2018.

]]>Latest waiting time figures highlight a national disgrace in the provision of mental health serviceshttps://www.thescsc.org.uk/latest-waiting-time-figures-highlight-a-national-disgrace-in-the-provision-of-mental-health-services/
Tue, 05 Jun 2018 12:49:35 +0000https://www.thescsc.org.uk/?p=10810Noting the latest waiting time figures, the Scottish Children's Services Coalition calls on the Scottish Government to increase investment in mental health services for children and young people.

]]>• The NHS in Scotland failed to meet a maximum 18-week waiting time target for children and young people to receive treatment from mental health services.• Three out of 10 children waiting more than 18-weeks for treatment.• Eleven out of 14 health boards failed to meet the 18-week waiting time target: NHS Fife, NHS Forth Valley, NHS Grampian, NHS Highland, NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Lothian, NHS Tayside, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, NHS Orkney and NHS Borders and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Valley.• 35 children and young people waited more than a year prior to being seen.• Figures show only 0.48 per cent of NHS expenditure on CAMHS and less than 7 per cent of the mental health budget.

Latest waiting time figures have reinforced the call by a coalition of leading independent and third sector children and young people’s service providers for dramatically increased investment in mental health services, delivering services for children and young people that are fit for purpose.

The call from campaign organisation, the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC) comes as the latest waiting time figures (PDF)from the Information Services Division, part of NHS National Services Scotland, highlight a postcode lottery in mental health treatment. They also demonstrate that the NHS in Scotland is creaking at the seams when it comes to dealing with an increasing number of those children and young people being identified with mental health problems, nothing short of a national disgrace.

Covering the quarter January to March 2018, the figures highlight that 3,979 children and young people started treatment at specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) in this period. The NHS in Scotland, including 11 of the 14 regional health boards, failed to meet the Scottish Government 18-week waiting time target for children and young people to receive treatment from CAMHS. This target should be delivered for at least 90 per cent of patients.

While 71.2 per cent in the NHS in Scotland are being seen within this 18-week waiting time, still in itself far too long, more than a quarter (28.8 per cent) are failing to be seen within this period.

These very low figures are despite the fact that mental health services are literally creaking at the seams due to greatly increasing demand, as evidenced by these waiting time figures.Researchindicates that 10 per cent of children and young people (aged five to 16) has a clinically diagnosable mental health problem (around three in every classroom), with 50 per cent of mental health problems established by the age of 14 and 75 per cent by the age of 24.

The SCSC has called for the Scottish Government to greatly increased investment in CAMHS and for a more consistent approach to delivering these services across Scotland. It has also called for a renewed focus on prevention and early intervention for those with mental health problems. This includes greater school-based counselling services, on-demand counselling services in GP surgeries and greater community support generally, reducing the need for referral to under-pressure specialist CAMHS.

The costs of failing to address mental health problems are well-established. Those affected are more likely, for example, to be unemployed, homeless, get caught up in the criminal justice system, or are in extremely costly long-term care. In many cases this can be prevented through early intervention.

A spokesperson for the SCSC said:

“These latest waiting time figures demonstrate that we are continuing to fail many of our children and young people with mental health problems, a national disgrace. No longer can mental health be viewed as a ‘Cinderella service’ and we must put money behind the rhetoric if we are to just keep pace with investment south of the border.

“It is clearly disappointing to note these newly released figures highlighting that the NHS in Scotland, including 11 of our health boards, are failing to meet what is already a lengthy waiting time. This is no coincidence given that a very small proportion of the overall NHS and mental health budget is being spent on addressing the needs of children and young people, and yet we know that three children in every classroom has a clinically diagnosable mental health problem.

“There must be a radical transformation of our mental health services, with a focus on preventing such problems arising in the first place and intervening early, especially when we know that half of all mental health problems begin before the age of 14.

“With mental health and the issues associated with it representing one of the greatest public health challenges of our time, we must ensure that children and young people are able to get the care and support they need, when they need it. This includes investing in greater community support and support at school, reducing the need for referral to specialist CAMHS.”

]]>Easing the pain of traumatised childrenhttps://www.thescsc.org.uk/dr-marie-holmes-easing-the-pain-of-traumatised-children/
Wed, 09 May 2018 16:16:47 +0000https://www.thescsc.org.uk/?p=10795Writing in The Scotsman, Dr Marie Holmes, Clinical Psychologist for coalition member Spark of Genius, highlights the major beneficial impacts clinical psychologists can have on children who have experienced trauma.

]]>Children who have experienced trauma have complex needs and require highly-skilled psychological support, and these needs only become further intensified when children are in care environments. However, many of Scotland’s children’s service providers may not have the in-house expertise to care for the psychological needs of children who have experienced trauma.

With Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) resources facing continuing pressure, one solution lies in having more clinical psychologists provide direct services to children’s care providers, particularly those who operate independently from the NHS.

Working outside NHS psychology services may involve relinquishing some of the professional security provided by the structures and systems of a traditional psychology department, but the positives often outweigh the compromises. For example, practising in a private service can offer more room to apply innovative thinking and adopt creative approaches, so long as management understands the unique skill set of clinical psychologists.

Clinical psychologists are trained to work with organisational systems as well as with individuals. They can play a critical role in developing an environment of emotional safety by contributing to policy and embedding psychological principles and approaches across the organisation. They can also develop psychologically-informed training for all staff, from senior management and care workers to catering and domestic support teams.

There are three innovative practices in particular that can be effectively applied:

The Owl, the Elephant, and the Meerkat

Firstly, clinical psychologists can teach all staff members the basic neuroscience that underpins emotional trauma. This needn’t be complex! For example, the ‘three animals that live in your brain’ approach is one that young children, teenagers and staff teams can all understand and most importantly remember.

The ‘Meerkat’ is the panic alarm system that drives us to escape or defend ourselves in response to threat. The ‘Elephant’ never forgets and stores our memories, while the wise ‘Owl’ acts as our emotional brakes, telling us to ‘stop and think!’ before acting impulsively. When the Meerkat panics the Owl flies away and leaves us temporarily without adequate impulse control and rational judgement.

The ‘three animals’ approach helps staff members remember that challenging behaviour has a biological basis and it is likely that the young person’s ability to exercise conscious control can be limited. It also forms the basis for developing a sense of self-compassion in young people who all-too-often have internalised feelings of shame and self-blame related to their behaviour.

Relaxation techniques for young people’s wellbeing

The second practice is to ensure that approaches such as relaxation, yoga and meditation are adapted and made available to all children within the service to manage anxiety and promote wellbeing. Young people can benefit enormously if these evidence-based approaches are made truly child-friendly with the same effort, thought, imagination and flair as we adopt to make Christmas or birthdays memorable.

A particularly useful and flexible system to apply within care environments is the ‘Relax Kids’ approach, which blends elements of play therapy, stress management and cognitive behavioural therapy to take young people from a highly-aroused state to a relaxed, calm state. It is a truly inspirational and adaptable approach based on sound evidence-based principles that can be interwoven into the culture of home and the fabric of classroom life.

Developing a bond with animals

Thirdly, clinical psychologists can encourage the service to offer interaction with animals. The humans in many looked-after young people’s lives have proven to be unsafe, and animals can be much more reliable in terms of forming attachment relationships. The simple company of companion animals provides psychological benefits, while formal animal-assisted psychotherapy offers more specialised treatment.

Horses in particular have proven to be successful partners in treatment overseas, but Equine Assisted Psychotherapy is only just beginning to gain recognition in the UK. The approach does not involve any riding and the focus is purely on relationship development and experiential learning. Seeing things from the perspective of another is an emerging skill and essential for the development of relationship skills, which can be significantly compromised by childhood trauma.

Animals can offer a truly safe emotional attachment experience, free of any power or control issues. For many looked-after children who have suffered trauma, this may be the first relationship of this nature that they have experienced.

In summary, clinical psychologists have a significant contribution to make in the provision of children’s services, and they should be encouraged to look beyond traditional career paths. The application of psychological practices within service providers can have a considerable impact on the wellbeing of looked-after children.

Dr Marie Holmes is a clinical psychologist with Spark of Genius, a member of the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition. This article first appeared in The Scotsman on Wednesday 9th May 2018.

]]>Coalition urges Government action to deliver support for those children with complex needs to tackle attainment gaphttps://www.thescsc.org.uk/coalition-urges-government-action-to-deliver-support-for-those-children-with-complex-needs-to-tackle-attainment-gap/
Mon, 07 May 2018 09:14:09 +0000https://www.thescsc.org.uk/?p=10741We call on the Scottish Government to urgently review how local authorities are supporting children and young people with complex and high level needs.

]]>An alliance of leading providers of services to children and young people has called on the Scottish Government to urgently review how local authorities are supporting children and young people with complex and high level needs.

The call from the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC) comes as the latest statistics highlight a decline in the number of children with additional support needs (ASN), such as autism, dyslexia and ADHD, receiving a co-called co-ordinated support plan (CSP).

A CSP is a legal document, the only education plans that are legal documents, requiring services such as education, health and social work to work together to give a child or young person the support they need. It provides some guarantees of entitlement to additional resources and legal redress, placing statutory duties on local authorities to review and ensure the provisions contained within it are being met.

While those with ASN come disproportionately from the most deprived neighbourhoods, they have a lower proportion receiving a CSP when compared with those from the least deprived neighbourhoods. This raises concerns that those from deprived communities who are entitled to a CSP are not receiving this legal support.

Despite an increasing number of those identified with ASN, rising from 118,034 in 2012 to 183,491 in 2017 (26.6 per cent of the pupil population),an increase in numbers of 55.5 per cent, the number of those with a CSP has decreased from 3,448 to 2,182, a drop from 2.9 per cent to 1.2 per cent of those with ASN. This is in contrast with England where the number of those receiving the equivalent of a CSP, a statutory support plan, is about six times higher than in Scotland and on the increase.1

This is despite an increase in the number of pupil identified with complex and high-level needs. Between 2012 and 2017, for example, the number of pupils identified with ASD has increased by 73.1 per cent, with dyslexia by 47.3 per cent, with mental health problems by 165.6 per cent, those in care by 48.0 per cent and social, emotional and behavioral difficulties by 68.8 per cent.2

The SCSC has called on the Scottish Government to undertake a review of how CSPs are being implemented by local authorities, raising concerns that the drop in the number of CSPs is due to the fact that authorities are more reluctant to provide a CSP than previously. This seems to be due to the fact that local authorities are now not providing them unless the parents request them, reinforced by the fact that cuts in health, education and social work services mean that authorities are reluctant to provide such support.

The SCSC has raised concerns that this may mean that these vulnerable children and young people who are entitled to a CSP are not receiving one from the local authority. Parents are therefore having to fight to acquire one, that is if they are aware of how to access this and that they even realise this is something they are entitled to.

This lack of awareness, especially from those in more deprived communities, is reinforced by the fact that CSPs are more than twice as likely to be opened for pupils with ASN living in the least deprived neighbourhoods compared with pupils living in the most deprived neighbourhoods. The percentage of ASN pupils with a CSP in the most deprived areas is 1.0 per cent, which rises to 2.1 per cent in the least deprived areas.3 However, ASN is more than twice as likely to be identified in pupils living in the most deprived neighbourhoods.4

There is a clear concern here that if a lower number of those in more deprived communities are receiving a CSP in comparison with least deprived communities, they may not be getting the care and support they need and this is going to make closing the educational attainment gap even harder.

Figures also highlight major disparities between local authorities on those pupils receiving ASN, creating a real ‘postcode lottery of support’, with 0.1 per cent of those in Falkirk and East Ayrshire having a CSP, amounting to only 6 pupils, compared with 3.9 per cent in East Renfrewshire and 5.3 per cent in Renfrewshire.5

This is due to the fact that there is no standardisation of who is identified as having ASN and who gets a CSP – it very much depends on local practice and the extent of parent agitation. (See Notes to Editors for full figures).

A spokesperson for the SCSC commented:

“It is clearly of some concern that we are experiencing a decline in the use of CSPs, which is to support those with the most complex needs. This is despite an increase in the numbers of those requiring such support.

“The disparity in those with a CSP between those in the least and most deprived areas is also worrying, as if we are to close the educational gap, it is key that we target the resourcing to achieve those on those in the most deprived communities.

“We are also concerned about the disparities that exist between local authorities on such support, which clearly raises concerns about how such a policy is being implemented and a lack of standardisation of who is identified as having ASN and who get a CSP.

“It is vital that the Scottish Government urgently undertake a review of how CSPs are being implemented by local authorities.”

1 Dr Duncan Carmichael and Professor Sheila Riddell, Centre for Research in Education Inclusion and Diversity, University of Edinburgh, An overview of statistics on SEN in England and ASN in Scotland: July 2017, p. 6.

]]>Concerns raised over support to escalating number of children needing additional supporthttps://www.thescsc.org.uk/concerns-raised-support-escalating-number-children-needing-additional-support-specialist-teacher-number-slump-record-low/
Tue, 13 Mar 2018 15:50:42 +0000https://www.thescsc.org.uk/?p=10698We call for additional resourcing for those requiring additional support as new figures show an escalating number of children with additional support needs while specialist teacher numbers slump.

]]>An alliance of leading independent and third sector organisations, the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), has called for greater resourcing to support children and young people with additional support needs (ASN), as new figures reveal that the number of specialist teachers supporting those with ASN has slumped to a new low as the number of those with ASN has escalated dramatically.

The campaign group has called for greater resourcing from both the Scottish Government and local authorities to ensure that those with ASN in Scotland’s schools, who disproportionately come from lower income families and areas of deprivation, are getting the care and support that they need.

The fall in the number of specialist teachers is set against a background of dramatic increases in the reasons pupils being identified with ASN, such as autism, dyslexia and mental health problems, n Scotland’s schools.

The figures, from the annual Scottish Government pupil census, indicate that between 2012 and 2017 the number of specialist teachers supporting those with ASN (publically funded primary, secondary, special and centrally employed) has decreased from 3,248 to 2,733, a decline of 15.9 per cent, representing a new low. 1

This fall is against the background of an overall increase by 55.5 per cent since 2012 in the number of pupils identified with ASN, from 118,034 in 2012 to 183,491 in 2017, representing just over a quarter of all pupils (26.6 per cent).

The reasons for support for pupils with ASN has increased dramatically. For example, the number of pupils identified with autism spectrum disorder in publically funded primary, secondary and special schools since 2012 has increased by over 73 per cent, those with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties by over 68 per cent, those in care by 48 per cent, those with physical health problems by over 77 per cent and those with mental health problems by over 165 per cent (pupils may have more than one reason for additional support) (see table at end of the press release for full details). 2

The increase is in part due to increased recognition and diagnosis of these conditions, as well as continued improvements in recording. Greater clarity in these figures means that support and funding can be more targeted, hopefully more appropriate to the needs of the child or young person concerned.

Given this fall in support for those with ASN against an increasing number of those requiring additional support, the SCSC has raised concerns over the effectiveness of presumption of mainstreaming, that all children and young people be educated in a mainstream environment, unless exceptional circumstances apply.

Stephen McGhee from coalition member Spark of Genius, an education and residential provider, commented:

“It is clearly positive to see that we are become increasingly good at identifying and recording those with ASN, such as autism, dyslexia, mental health problems and learning difficulties.

“Children and young people with ASN represent some of the most disadvantaged and marginalised members of our society. They have poorer educational outcomes, are more likely to be permanently or temporarily excluded, and are less likely to go onto positive destinations when compared with those with no ASN. This impacts not only on the individual concerned, but also has a resulting cost to both the economy and society.

“It is vital that in order to prevent this those with ASN get the care and support they need, which is also key if we are to genuinely close the educational attainment gap. This is clearly challenging in an environment of austerity and budget cuts, with evidence of cuts in the number of ASN teachers.

“While we also support the presumption of mainstreaming, that all children and young people be educated in a mainstream educational environment unless exceptional circumstances apply, it is clearly difficult to see how this is functioning properly for all those with ASN given this fall in specialist support and increase in the number of those identified with conditions such as autism and mental health problems.

“The Scottish Government and local authorities need to work together to provide the necessary resourcing to address the needs of those children and young people with ASN, who represent some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society. “

]]>While the mental health strategy is to be welcomed, greater action is neededhttps://www.thescsc.org.uk/mental-health-strategy-welcomed-greater-action-needed/
Wed, 07 Mar 2018 08:30:47 +0000https://www.thescsc.org.uk/?p=10681Kenny Graham, Head of Education at Falkland House School, writes for Friends of the Scotsman on the need for greater action when it comes to addressing the mental health needs of children and young people.

]]>The launch of the Scottish Government’s Ten Year Mental Health Strategy in 2017 was welcomed as a sign of the government’s commitment to address some of the very worrying statistics related to the nation’s mental health, and particularly for those of us with a vested interest in our children’s mental health.

50 per cent of mental health problems are established by the age of 14 and 75 per cent by the age of 24. Research also indicates that 10 per cent of all children aged between five and sixteen have a clinically diagnosable mental health problem. This equates to three children in every classroom.

These concerning figures coupled with an ongoing increase in numbers of children and young people identified as needing additional support at school led to the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition’s call on Derek Mackay to triple current NHS spending on mental health services for children and young people and deliver a “Budget for Mental Health”. We asked that Scotland simply match the proportion of the NHS in England spends on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), which equates to an extra £100 million a year.

What the budget delivered was an extra £10 million for children identified as having an additional support need. The increased funding was welcomed, in the same way that the Ten Year Strategy was welcomed as a sign of the government’s commitment to improving outcomes for our children.

The hopeful, optimistic feeling, modest though it was in line with the small increase in funding, was short lived. On the same day that the budget pledged another £10 million for pupils with additional support needs, a freedom of information request identified that several NHS Boards had reduced their CAMHS budgets for the upcoming financial year despite failing to meet targets set by the Scottish Government. The key target relates to 90 per cent of referrals to CAMHS being seen within 18 weeks. In the case of one health board, only 35 per cent of children were being seen within this target time. Figures contained in the written response to a parliamentary question indicated that a mere 0.48 per cent of the NHS budget is spent on specialist CAMHS. More concerning and confusing is that only 6.34 per cent of the overall mental health budget is spent on CAMHS.

The costs of failing to address mental health problems are well established. Those affected are more likely to be unemployed, homeless, get caught up in the criminal justice system or in extremely costly long-term care. In many cases this can be prevented through early intervention.

The Ten Year Strategy published in 2017 has 40 action points. Those related to prevention and early intervention indicates that we need to do more to understand the various issues related to children and young people. Determine, review and evaluate are words that feature too frequently. Why is there such a need to ask questions as the initial stages of the strategy, given that this is not the first? In 2016 A Review of Mental Health Services in Scotland was published. This was a fulfilment of one of the commitments of the 2012-15 Mental Health Strategy. The report was in turn a review of the impact of the 2003 Sandra Grant Report to Review the State of Mental Health Services in Scotland.

If we have been reviewing and strategising about mental health since at least 2003, why do we still have so many questions, particularly related to CAMHS? Waiting targets are not being met, funding is being cut, and almost 20,000 referrals have been rejected in the last three years. Why can we not commit to a couple of apparently obvious actions?

The Ten Year Strategy calls for the provision of trained, front line, mental health staff in custody suites, prisons, doctor’s surgeries and A&E departments. If we know that 50 per cent of mental health problems are established by the age of 14, why is this support not directed to early intervention which would help to reduce the need for custody suites and prisons? If 75 per cent of mental health problems are established by the age of 24, why is the CAMHS budget only 0.48 per cent of the overall NHS budget?

Why, critically, can we not learn from the experience of others? The British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists reported last year that 88 per cent of children who received support from School Counsellors in Wales did not need onward referral to CAMHS. Funding is a critical issue, so why can we not spend to save in the future and follow the example of Wales and Northern Ireland and make school counselling services mandatory. Must we remain slow to learn?

Kenny Graham is Head of Education at Falkland House School, member of the Scottish Children’s Services Coaliton